Simple things

I have just come through a very trying time. Coming through that time has led to a much appreciated re-evaluation of life. Over the past few months I have been wondering about happiness. Is happiness a state of bliss or just an absence of unhappiness? I think that I have an answer now. Happiness used to be a time gone past but never now. I think that was because I had too many things on my plate. If you have fifteen things that you judge your happiness by, one or two of them are bound to go awry and you will be unaware of the others. This attitude has come from a PBS show about happiness. The show said that the key to happiness is K.I.S.S.. Don't let the happiness of good health be offset by the fact that your socks are too tight. Pare down the list of things that make you happy to a few important ones and get rid of the rest. Basically what they said was that multi-tasking leads to depression and feelings of inadequacy and failure. At home or at work, it doesn't matter, keep it simple.
I was feeling lonely and unlucky. Then came the crucible. It is hard to be happy when you cannot straighten up without white-hot searing pain. That seems to have passed now and is just extremely uncomfortable. I realized this this morning when I was able to get out of bed without almost passing out. I sat on the edge of the bed thinking "Hey, this is pretty good.". So I began to take inventory. I could not have come through this without the aid and care of my Brother and Sister-in-Law. There goes the loneliness. Someone does care. I have enough food in the house to last me for some time. There goes my biggest worry. I will be able to cook decent meals. Here comes the happiness. I will be able to go for a walk. Now the happiness is rolling in. My children are all alive and turned into people it is really nice to know. How much happier could a father be?
So that is enough! So what if the soup I make tastes lousy. So what if the sink doesn't drain right and so what if I don't have total recall. So what if I cannot understand Hawking? At least I can sleep through the night without worrying about having to get up.
I think that happiness is making room for happiness. Eliminate most of the things that can go wrong and make room for happiness to bloom. Happiness is like an old quiet friend, who simply nods at your craziness and smiles at your mistakes. Happiness doesn't judge, it is just there if you take the time to notice it. Today I will make the meatballs or some chili. If it is chili, I will forego the beans in honor of my closest and dearest friend.